Bottom Paint
Posted: Mon May 25, 2009 2:36 pm
We now have Bay Wings back in the water after waiting for it to stop raining in April so that we could get the bottom painted. We had the original bottom paint on and the boat is 1 1/2 years old, so it needed it!
We hauled the boat in March, thinking that we could do the bottom ourselves. I sanded one ama about 80% and found it took much longer, was harder, and was more boring than I expected. I also used a paint remover on the rudder, but it was borderline warm, so it did not work completely.
When we pulled it there were many very small dimples, not even bubbles, on the amas and, to a lesser extent, on the main hull. After many hours of reading on line and talking to sales and technical reps of different companies, we decided to barrier coat the hull with Interlux Protect 2000 to keep water out. That was when it became obvious we did not have the time to do the work ourselves and my co-owner did not like the idea of the paint coming off and that being put on in his yard. We hired a yard to do the work and learned that you must check frequently and remind them of the little things, such as the barrier coat must be sticky when the first bottom paint is applied. It was their first trimaran, setting it on the stands from the trailer was a long exercise.
Overall, it cost just over $2300, if you interested. That is five coats for the barrier and three for the Pettit Vivid bottom paint, plus the sanding of the old paint. He also lightly burnished the bottom paint for racing. We had him raise the water line on the port ama due to the way the boat sits in a slip with its amas tucked in. I tried to attach a picture, but I am over the limit for the site at 2.5 MB. We also have the name on the boat, now.
John
We hauled the boat in March, thinking that we could do the bottom ourselves. I sanded one ama about 80% and found it took much longer, was harder, and was more boring than I expected. I also used a paint remover on the rudder, but it was borderline warm, so it did not work completely.
When we pulled it there were many very small dimples, not even bubbles, on the amas and, to a lesser extent, on the main hull. After many hours of reading on line and talking to sales and technical reps of different companies, we decided to barrier coat the hull with Interlux Protect 2000 to keep water out. That was when it became obvious we did not have the time to do the work ourselves and my co-owner did not like the idea of the paint coming off and that being put on in his yard. We hired a yard to do the work and learned that you must check frequently and remind them of the little things, such as the barrier coat must be sticky when the first bottom paint is applied. It was their first trimaran, setting it on the stands from the trailer was a long exercise.
Overall, it cost just over $2300, if you interested. That is five coats for the barrier and three for the Pettit Vivid bottom paint, plus the sanding of the old paint. He also lightly burnished the bottom paint for racing. We had him raise the water line on the port ama due to the way the boat sits in a slip with its amas tucked in. I tried to attach a picture, but I am over the limit for the site at 2.5 MB. We also have the name on the boat, now.
John